LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — It's been a tragic week for the Arkansas Army National Guard, as two guardsmen took their own life.
A statement sent to us by the Arkansas Army National Guard says they are "grieving with the families and loved ones of the two soldiers who are no longer with us. The Guard is like one big family."
The grief can be felt throughout as several people reached out on social media to share their condolences, including service member Melody Daniel.
She writes, "We are all in this together, our Guard family suffers and grieves every loss regardless of how close we are to that brother or sister in arms."
Mental health can go unseen, which leads to it going unnoticed and untreated.
The Arkansas Army National Guard has resources in place to make sure mental health is a priority for Guardsmen, including chaplains and officers who are trained to look for signs of stress in their teammates.
The Guard says, "We tell our Soldiers and Airmen that it's a sign of strength to reach out for help, not a sign of weakness."
Tyler West with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention echoes that sentiment. He says all it takes is one conversation to make a difference.
"If you start having those dark thoughts, ask for help, reach out to someone you trust, or call the National Suicide Prevention Line. There are resources out there for us," West said.
Resources include:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or online at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Veterans Crisis Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 or online at www.veteranscrisishotline.net
Be there: Worldwide 24/7 confidential peer support: 1-844-357-7337 or online at https://www.betherepeersupport.org/
Real Warriors Program: 1-866-966-1020 or online at realwarriors.net
Suicide Prevention Resource Center: online at www.sprc.org
Give an Hour: online at www.giveanhour.org